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Abstract:

A method for generating electronic medical records (EMR) without altering
hospital information system (HIS) in an additional fashion aims to meet
requirements of accelerating integration of HIS and implementing EMR in
hospitals that gradually adopt EMR. The method of the invention realizes
the advantages of system integration and greater usability of electronic
medical record system while avoiding the pitfalls thereof. The method
provided by the invention captures a traditional medical record from an
output of an existing HIS in an additional or information system
integration fashion, and systematically arranges, stores and converts the
traditional medical record without greatly altering the HIS.

Claims:

1. A method for generating electronic medical records (EMR) without
altering hospital information system (HIS) in an additional fashion
allowing a user to capture a traditional medical record from an output of
an existing HIS through an additional or an information system
integration fashion and systemically arrange and store the traditional
medical record to form an electronic medical record, comprising the steps
of: directly capture user's medical data from the existing HIS output, or
capture a traditional medical record output through printing, files or
electronic signals and convert the medical data or medical record to
become preparation data; and proceed with a post processing step
including operations of identification, conversion, standard mapping,
encryption, electronic signature, compression, and data exchange of the
preparation data, and save data in prior and post processing steps if
necessary.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the user's medical data and
the traditional medical record are performed selectively by reading,
receiving, scanning, photographing or intercepting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the traditional medical record is
selected from the group consisting of text paper, graphic paper and
medical equipment output.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured medical data or the
traditional medical record is selectively transmitted through a print
port, a universal serial bus (USB), a serial port, a network port, or an
output interface of operation system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured medical data and the
traditional medical record are output through a document or photo output
device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the document output device is selected
from the group consisting of a virtual printer, a real printer, a copy
machine, a scanner, a barcode reader and a labeling machine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical data is selectively an
electrocardiogram or an electroencephalogram.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification operation in the
post processing step converts text or graphs of the preparation data
through character recognition mechanisms to become text for following
data processing; the standard mapping operation in the post processing
step converting the preparation data to a defined data exchange standard
according to a configuration or method to achieve exchangeability of data
across units; the encryption and electronic signature operations in the
post processing step performing electronic security and electronic
signature on the preparation data to enhance safety, authentication and
non-repudiation of the electronic medical record; the compression
operation in the post processing step compressing the preparation data to
reduce storage space needed; and the data exchange operation in the post
processing step exchanging the electronic medical record through a data
exchange mechanism.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption and electronic signature
operations in the post processing step signs the preparation data
selectively through a symmetric key algorithm, an asymmetric key
algorithm or a public key infrastructure.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption and electronic
signature operations in the post processing step signs the preparation
data through a symmetric key algorithm, an asymmetric key algorithm or a
public key infrastructure in combination.

Description:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for generating electronic
medical records (EMR) and particularly to a method to capture traditional
medical records (including paper-based medical records) from an output of
an existing hospital information system (HIS) and convert to an
electronic medical record in an additional or information system
integration fashion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Adopting EMR is a prevailing international trend in modern society
and a highly promoted public policy in our country in recent years. The
conventional approach for implementing such a practice generally adopts
extensive alterations, modifications or enhancement of HIS used in
medical institutions or hospitals. For instance, R.O.C. patent No.
1222354 entitled "Portable medicine order system" employs a Personal
Digital Assistant (PDA) to download patient's medical records from a
hospital database, and make a new medicine order return to the hospital
database when diagnosis is finished. The PDA is portable and allows
doctors to check and update patient's data anytime anywhere, thus enables
the doctors to grasp patient's conditions constantly.

[0003] R.O.C. patent No. 1297873 entitled "Method for protecting
completeness and accuracy of digital documents" adopts the concept of
composite documents by designing a document structure to store EMR and
providing a multi-layer inspection code processing method to achieve
effective protection of multiple related and serial documents in terms of
completeness and accuracy.

[0004] However, the aforesaid two prior arts involve extensive
alterations, modifications or enhancement of software/hardware interfaces
of HIS, and a wholesale implementation of electronic HIS has to be
executed. While such a conversion to EMR provides the benefits of easier
management and higher circulation, and overall implementation of EMR also
is under government's planning. In practice, the existing HIS has been
established, maintained and updated for a long period of time, to make
large scale alterations, modifications or enhancement of HIS to generate
EMR will cost huge amount of manpower, resources and expenses. Moreover,
unpredictable defects, pitfalls and risks of altering HIS to generate EMR
cannot be fully excluded. Patients' life could be threatened in serious
situations, and the consequence could be very severe.

[0005] In addition, the formats of EMR adopted by various HIS are not
fully coincided, and compatibility is also a big issue. Different
providers of EMR often develop their own software and systems for
different medical systems that are not fully compatible. Hence the EMR
cannot be commonly shared and used in different systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The primary object of the present invention is to solve the
disadvantages of conventional wholesale implementation of EMR that result
in a higher cost and greater investments in manpower and time.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to eliminate the risks of
efficiency impact and format incompatibility incurred to the generated
EMR by altering HIS in the conventional wholesale implementation of EMR.

[0008] Yet another object of the invention is to solve the problem of
altering the original programs during implementation of EMR in hospitals
by providing a method to realize EMR in hospitals without altering the
existing HIS.

[0009] The present invention provides a method for generating EMR without
altering the HIS in an additional fashion. The method according to the
invention captures a traditional medical record from an output of the
existing HIS in an additional or information system integration fashion,
and systematically arranges and stores the traditional medical record in
an electronic medical record without greatly altering the HIS. The method
mainly includes steps as follow:

[0010] capturing directly user's medical data from an existing HIS output,
or capturing a traditional medical record output through printing, files
or electronic signals and converting the medical data or medical record
to become preparation data; and

[0011] proceeding with a post processing step including operations of
identification, conversion, standard mapping, encryption, electronic
signature, compression and data exchange of the preparation data, and
save data in prior and post processing steps if necessary.

[0012] By means of the foregoing processes, the invention is integrated
with the existing HIS through an additional or information system
integration fashion without replacing a great deal of system equipment,
and can eliminate or save a great amount of cost in analysis, design,
implementation and test incurred to alterations, modifications or
enhancement of the HIS. Moreover, the EMR exchange format could be
configured and defined to integrate with the generic HIS. Compared with
the traditional approach of wholesale alteration, modification or
enhancement of the HIS, the present invention maintains the conventional
HIS and medical records. The invention, aside from easily generating the
medical records and enhancing circulation, also can gradually convert the
traditional medical records (including paper-based medical records) or
medical data of HIS to the EMR to save time, efforts and cost.

[0013] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the
accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the
invention.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the post processing step
of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment to carry out the post
processing step of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 for the flowchart of an embodiment of
the invention. The method for generating EMR according to the invention
adopts an additional or information system integration approach by
capturing a traditional medical record from an output of an exist HIS,
and systematically arranging and saving the traditional medical record to
an electronic medical record without greatly altering the HIS. A user
enters medical data in the existing HIS to output a traditional medical
record by printing, filing or formed in electronic signals. The method of
the invention mainly includes the following steps:

[0018] S1: Directly capture user's medical data from the existing HIS
output, or capture a traditional medical record output through printing,
files or electronic signal by reading, receiving, scanning, photographing
or intercepting, and convert the medical data or medical record to become
preparation data. The traditional medical record is selected from the
group consisting of text paper, graphic paper and medical equipment
output. The captured medical data or traditional medical record is
transmitted selectively through print port, universal serial bus (USB),
serial port, network port, or output interface of operation system. The
captured medical data and traditional medical record are output through a
document or photo output device which is selected from the group
consisting of virtual printer, real printer, copy machine, scanner,
barcode reader, and labeling machine. In this embodiment, the medical
data include an electrocardiogram, an electroencephalogram or electronic
data output through instruments; and

[0028] Refer to FIG. 3 for the block diagram of an embodiment to carry out
the post processing step of the invention. It contains a post processing
module 10 which includes a data processing unit 11, a standard mapping
conversion unit 12, an identification unit 13, an encryption security
unit 14, a compression unit 15, a storage unit 16 and a data exchange
unit 17. The data processing unit 11 converts data and data
fields/attribute names to a corresponding electronic medical record. The
standard mapping conversion unit 12 is located in the post processing
module 10 to convert the data of the electronic medical record to a
defined data exchange standard to facilitate data exchangeability across
units. The identification unit 13 recognizes the preparation data through
character recognition mechanisms to convert text or graphs to text for
following data processing. The encryption security unit 14 signs or
performs electronic security and electronic signature on the electronic
medical record to enhance safety, authentication and non-repudiation, and
can perform encryption or electronic signature combined with a symmetric
key algorithm, asymmetric key algorithm or public key infrastructure. The
compression unit 15 compresses the electronic medical record to reduce
storage space needed. The storage unit 16 stores the electronic medical
record. The data exchange unit 17 performs data exchange for the
electronic medical record through a data exchange mechanism and method.

[0029] In this embodiment, the post processing module 10 is organized and
processes in sequence. The data processing unit 11 is connected to the
standard mapping conversion unit 12 which provides the electronic medical
record with text or graphs recognized by the identification unit 13; then
the encryption security unit 14 performs encryption and electronic
signature; thereafter the compression unit 15 compresses the electronic
medical record to reduce storage space, and the storage unit 16 stores
the electronic medical record; finally the data exchange unit 17 performs
data exchange of the stored electronic medical record. However, in
practice, the processing steps can be changed according to actual
requirements, they are not limited to the sequence in previously
discussed embodiment. Moreover, the unit elements in the post processing
module can be removed or added according to actual requirements.

[0030] In a conclusion, the method of the invention provides an additional
or information system integration approach combined with the existing HIS
without extensive alterations, modifications or enhancement of HIS,
without replacing a lot of system equipment, and also can eliminate or
greatly save the costs involved in analysis, design, implementation and
test. The EMR exchange format could be configured and defined to
integrate with the generic HIS. Compared with the conventional approach
of greatly altering the HIS used in medical institutions or hospitals,
the present invention maintains the conventional HIS and medical records
commonly used. Generation of the electronic medical record through the
invention is easier, and circulation is higher. Moreover, the invention
can gradually convert the traditional medical records (including
paper-based medical records) or medical data of the HIS to EMR to save
time, manpower and cost.

[0031] In summation of the above description, the present invention
provides a significant improvement over the conventional techniques and
complies with the patent application requirements, and is submitted for
review and granting of the commensurate patent rights.

[0032] While the invention has been described by means of specific
embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto
by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit
of the invention set forth in the claims.

Patent applications in class BUSINESS PROCESSING USING CRYPTOGRAPHY

Patent applications in all subclasses BUSINESS PROCESSING USING CRYPTOGRAPHY